133 



We got away at 7.10 a.m. It was my first experience of a military 

 aircraft. The hull was unlined and she certainly was noisy and not 

 exactly luxurious, while ventilation was provided by 3 -inch holes 

 in the sides. 



As soon as we had settled on an even keel I went forward and got 

 the names and titles and functions of the crew. They were : 



Commandant . . J. P. D. Blaauw 



Captain 

 Lieutenant 

 Lieutenant 

 Corporal . 

 Corporal . 



P. Letley 



W. J. Bergh 



D. M. Ralston 



J. W. J. van Niekerk 



F. Brink 



I asked the course, and was told that we should sleep at Lumbo 

 that night, and go on to Diego Suarez on north Madagascar as 

 early as possible next day. After that ? They had been unable to find 

 out if there was any hope of landing at the Comores. The South 

 African Forces had made an air strip on Pamanzi during the war, 

 but it was not known if the French had kept this going or whether 

 a plane like this could land there at all. So even the immediate 

 future was still dark and uncertain, just to add to the black cloud 

 of uncertainty and dread that it might not be a Coelacanth after 

 all. This terrible agony, my life blood, all this fuss and bother — 

 just imagine if it proved to be a common fish. How the world 

 would laugh, and even Dr. Malan would catch it from his oppo- 

 nents in Parliament. There was going to be nothing easy anywhere 

 along the line, that was clear, but at any rate we were on the way 

 at last, we were doing something. I was naturally strung to a high 

 pitch of excitement, but spent the time on the way to Lourengo 

 Marques getting to know these six men, fitting them into the 

 categories every mature man has waiting ready-made. When they 

 thought me unaware, which I never am, they studied me with 

 curiosity and interest, nobody saying very much. 



Louren90 Marques ahead. Letley grimaced and gestured, to a 

 safety-belt, so I returned to the hold and sat down. 



As the doors opened I shot out — hot all right, just think of the 

 Comores ! A minor airport official ran out and embraced me 

 eflfusively — at this tense time my response was not very cordial, 

 and I had seen in the hall the South African Vice-Consul Phillip, 



